Today the U.S. Fed is scheduled to have its regular FOMC meeting with a statement that follows that typically generates lots of headlines and market action. The Fed's statement and policy decision will be released at 2pm Eastern time. That is when the bulk of the market action is expected to take place. However, the policy statement will be analyzed over the next couple of days following the release and concurrent investment decisions will be made.

Market participants will be highly focused on the Fed's statement to get an idea of what to expect in the future from the Fed regarding rate decisions and other policies. With interest rates and inflation rates playing key roles in the value of gold because of the metal's pricing in dollars, gold investors will be paying close attention to the results. Further clarity on the Fed's bond buying program, is expected to be the

Biotech stocks have been some of the best performing stocks on Wall Street over the past 5 years and those trends have continued over the past year and in 2013. The Nasdaq Biotech ETF (IBB) is up 32% over the past year while the NYSE Arca Biotech ETF (FBT) has put in a move of close to 37%. Compare that to the S&P 500's measly returns of 15% and it is easy to see why Mr. Market gets excited about biotech stocks.

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Investors aren't the only ones putting money to work in biotech. Others joining in on the biotech action include large biotech companies looking to expand their molecule holdings and investment assets. In fact, on February 6, Elan (ELN) announced a multi-billion transaction with Biogen Idec (BIIB) where Elan sold its share of Tysabri to Biogen for an upfront payment of

Gold prices have been trading in a range for the past 18 months after hitting a multi-year high in the summer of 2011; however, that quiet period may be coming to a close following Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's Congress testimony on Tuesday that pushed gold prices up to its biggest one-day gain of the year. It is often said that a picture is worth a 1,000 words so a five-year gold chart follows.

Looking at the graphic, it clearly demonstrates the $1600-$1800 per oz gold prices range that gold prices have seen over the past 18 months. A further peak into the chart, one can see that the $1600 has proved to be a strong support/resistance level, showing that it was successfully violated only once out of about 5 attempts. A BofA analyst says even more and notes that gold has remained above the pivotal $1522/1533 17-month range

Metal miners have had a tough past 12 months all over the board with mining giants such as copper major Freeport-McMoRan (FCX), gold major Newmont Mining (NEM), steel focused ArcelorMittal (MT), and aluminum focused Alcoa (AA), all down between 10%-30% compared to gains of over 10% for the S&P 500. The reasons have been various including a declining price of gold, oversupply in the steel markets, worrying macroeconomic conditions in Europe, and disappointing acquisition announcements. Despite the pessimism, the fundamental picture may be changing as the global macroeconomic conditions continue to improve and the end demand picture continues to be strong. I first take a closer look into gold and then follow that up by a look into steel.

After trading at $1800/oz in early-fall, the precious metal has slumped and is now trading at just above the $1600 level. Gold miners have followed suit and

Pulse Beverage (PLSB.OB) has seen a big increase in shareholder interest over the past two months as the company continues to work towards making an expansion push for its product despite facing heavy competition from beverage giants like Coca-Cola (KO) and Pepsico (PEP).

Pulse is a new company to the public markets and was formed just about 2 years ago as a result of a reverse merger with Darlington Mines, an exploration stage company. The company completed a share exchange and then subsequently changed its name to Pulse Beverage.

Pulse, the beverage company, was formed in 2010 by senior beverage industry veterans for the purpose of exploiting niche markets in the beverage industry. The Pulse brand of beverages contains functional ingredients that have been shown to promote health. Pulse beverages are unique in that they were scientifically developed and contain effective ingredients that are widely considered

The long-talked about catalyst for Impax Laboratories (IPXL) finally arrived on Martin Luther King Day when the company announced that the FDA issued a complete response letter regarding the New Drug Application (NDA) for Rytary (IPX066), a potential treatment for the symptomatic treatment of Parkinson's disease.

The company went on to say that the complete response letter indicates that the FDA requires a satisfactory re-inspection of the company's Hayward facility as a result of the warning letter issued in May 2011 before the company's NDA may be approved due to the facility's involvement in the development of Rytary, and supportive manufacturing and distribution activities. During the assessment of the NDA, the company withdrew the Hayward site as an alternative site of commercial production at launch.

In response to the news, the stock dropped 7% even though the FDA did not ask for any additional trails or asked any

Uranium stocks have struggled ever since the Japanese nuclear accident about two years ago. However, Cameco (CCJ), the uranium heavyweight, has started seeing a bottom in its stock over the past 18 months as it has traded in the $16-25 range after falling all the way from over $40 a share. The fundamental picture has begun to improve as well, offering more support for the stock.

Cameco is one of the world's largest uranium producers, accounting for almost 16% of world production from its mines in Canada, the US and Kazakhstan. Cameco's leading position is backed by approximately 435 million pounds of proven and probable reserves and extensive resources. Cameco holds premier land positions in the world's most promising areas for new uranium discoveries in Canada and Australia as part of an intensive global exploration program. Cameco is also a leading provider of processing services required to produce fuel

With the fiscal cliff discussions in the rear view mirror and the S&P 500 continuing to march higher and nearing 52-week highs, the bulls are winning the battle. The following two beverage stocks, both growth-types, should stand to benefit as the markets continue gaining steam.

SodaStream (SODA) has been a top performer over the past two months as the buzz continues to grow for the company on the base of strong earnings growth. The growth is expected to continue in 2013 as well, making SodaStream an interesting portfolio candidate in the first full week of the new year.

SodaStream manufactures beverage carbonation systems, which enable consumers to easily transform ordinary tap water instantly into carbonated soft drinks and sparkling water. Soda makers offer a highly differentiated and innovative solution to consumers of bottled and canned carbonated soft drinks and sparkling water.

Analysts project the company to report revenue growth

Since my previous article on Alzheimer's, we have seen some developments in the area of developing a successful treatment for Alzheimer's disease. For those unfamiliar, the unmet need in the area is large with some projecting a global market size for a highly effective treatment could be as much as $20 billion. That sizeable market has attracted the likes of big pharma, who are looking for ways to reinvent themselves and find new avenues of growth. Help for Alzheimer's patients has even come from the likes of Apple (AAPL), with its Alzheimer's iPhone app, that provide families with fresh approaches to improving one's quality of life. With an estimated 5 million patients in the U.S. and 26 million worldwide, a success therapy would have significant positive developments from a societal and economic point of view.

Merck (MRK) announced that it started a Phase II/III clinical

The deadline for the FDA decision for Impax Laboratories' (IPXL) first foray into branded drugs is approaching with the date set for January 21. Impax is eagerly awaiting the FDA's response to the company's new drug application for Rytary for the treatment of idiopathic Parkinson's disease. The event is expected to have a significant impact on the stock with analysts seeing annual sales for Rytary climbing as high as $400 million, a sizeable figure for a company that recorded sales of about $500 million in 2011. Notably, margins for branded drugs are higher than generics, where most of the company's sales come from.

Impax Laboratories is a technology based specialty pharmaceutical company applying its formulation expertise and drug delivery technology to the development of controlled-release and specialty generics in addition to the development of branded products. Impax markets its generic products through its Global Pharmaceuticals division and markets

Last Tuesday, Acadia Pharma (ACAD) announced successful top-line results from its pivotal Phase III trial evaluating the efficacy, tolerability and safety of pimavanserin in patients with Parkinson's disease psychosis (PDP). Pimavanserin met the primary endpoint in the Phase III trial by demonstrating highly significant antipsychotic efficacy as measured using the 9-item SAPS-PD scale (p=0.001). Pimavanserin also met the key secondary endpoint for motoric tolerability as measured using Parts II and III of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, or UPDRS. These results were further supported by a highly significant improvement in the secondary efficacy measure, the Clinical Global Impression Improvement, or CGI-I, scale (p=0.001). In addition, clinical benefits were observed in all exploratory efficacy measures with significant improvements in nighttime sleep, daytime wakefulness and caregiver burden. Consistent with previous studies, pimavanserin was safe and well tolerated in this Phase III trial.

The market responded in kind and sent the

Just two weeks ago, Starbucks (SBUX) made a splash, acquiring Teavana (TEA) for $620 million in cash. Starbucks, the company that has made its name in coffee, acquired a company known for its premium teas. Large companies acquiring smaller companies in the consumer beverage market is an frequent occurrence, as large companies look for ways to add to their portfolio of products and the small companies look for ways to get access to distribution points and management expertise.

Starbucks bought Evolution Fresh and Bay Bread LLC since last year. The two consumer beverage giants, Coca-Cola (KO) and Pepsico (PEP) always are on the hunt for new ways to add to their growing portfolios of products. For Coke, there have been acquisitions of Vitamin-Water, FUZE, and Honest Tea, among others. Some of Pepsi's major purchases have included SOBE, Tropicana, and a $3.8 billion acquisition of a Russian food and

A week ago, spirit conglomerate Diageo (DEO) agreed to buy a majority stake in United Spirits, India's largest spirit company. Diageo said it would end up with 53.4% in United Spirits for a price tag of $2.1 billion or 20x trailing EBITDA. This transaction continues the trend that began in the 1990's of the consolidation of the spirit industry. With the major spirit conglomerates largely using the "acquire to grow" business philosophy, more transactions are expected. Notably, Diageo is thirsty for more deals and already is in talks to buy leading tequila maker Jose Cuervo. Brown-Forman (BF.B) is also on the prowl, ready to dip into its war chest to fund a whiskey or vodka acquisition. The question now becomes who's next.

Beam's (BEAM) brands include Jim Beam Bourbon, Maker's Mark Bourbon, Sauza Tequila, Pinnacle Vodka, Canadian Club Whisky, Courvoisier Cognac, Teacher's Scotch Whisky, Cruzan

There is a significant unmet need for Alzheimer's Disease. That fact, in combination with the fact that millions of people suffering from Alzheimer's and the projected growth rate for patients with the disease, creates a significant monetary incentive for healthcare companies to come up with solution for Alzheimer's. According to estimates from the Alzheimer's Association, the disease affects more than 5.4 million people in the U.S. and is projected to be diagnosed in as many as 16 million by 2050. That translates into a global market worth as much as $20 billion, according to some analysts, for an effective treatment for Alzheimer's. Multinational drug manufacturers such as Pfizer (PFE), Eli Lilly (LLY), and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) see the potential of this market and are heavily invested in Alzheimer's-related research. Separately, there is an under the radar microcap that is also heavily betting on making

With the S&P 500 down nearly 4% over the past 2 days and even Apple (AAPL), one of the hottest stocks on the market over the past decade, down 7%, money managers have begun to look at more stable asset classes to put their money in. The popular safe-haven over the past 5 years has been gold. Bonds have also been a favorite but yields are currently some of the lowest the country has ever seen. For people looking to rotate into equities with stable business profiles, defensive industries such as healthcare may be one of the best ways to withstand the volatility. Here are three healthcare stocks that should provide downside protection for a portfolio in case the weakness in the market is more protracted than expected.

Thermo Fisher (TMO) is the world leader in serving science. With revenue of $12 billion, the company has approximately 39,000

The telecom space has been making a lot of noise lately with news items from some of the most well-known companies in the space attracting investors' attention. The biggest news of all has been the Softbank deal for Sprint Nextel in which the Japanese company agreed to buy 70% of Sprint Nextel (S) for just over $20 billion. Not to be outdone, T-Mobile, owned by Deutsche Telekom, earlier in October announced a transaction with Metro PCS (PCS) whereby T-Mobile agreed to purchase 74% of the combined company for $1.5 billion in cash. Clearwire (CLWR), one of the most talked about stocks, has seen interest in its shares rekindle with the after mentioned transactions as well as news of a major holder wanting the company to sell portions of its spectrum. With investors' eyes focused in on the telecom sector, here are three stocks that

Synergy (SGYP) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of new drugs to treat gastrointestinal disorders and diseases. The company has a major catalyst coming up by the end of the year as it is expected to release clinical trial results for its lead drug candidate. Analysts are very bullish on the stock, setting it up for potentially volatile trading as we move closer and closer to the release of the data.

The story has become more interesting over the past year with the stock receiving significant exposure on multiple fronts as it graduated to a Nasdaq listing, became a member of Russell Indexes, and has received significant interest from the Street. Synergy has also received a boost from the FDA's approval of a competitor's drug.

The events started to unfold about a year ago when the company initiated the dosing of patients in the all-important Phase

Aeterna Zentaris (AEZS) is an interesting biotech with an enterprise value of nearly zero and an attractive developmental pipeline. AEZS currently has 12 drug candidates in development and one drug on the market, and after a recent capital raise, sits on a nice pile of cash that nearly makes the company's enterprise value equal to zero, suggesting the market is placing no value on any of the company's assets, which seems a bit pessimistic.

AEZS is an oncology and endocrinology drug development company currently investigating treatments for various unmet medical needs. AEZS's pipeline encompasses compounds at all stages of development, from drug discovery through to marketed products. The company has two product candidates in Phase 3 trials, 5 in Phase 2 trials, and the balance in Phase 1 and preclinical trials.

The company has multiple catalysts coming up in the balance of 2012 and the beginning of 2013 but

Mobile growth is the big wave of growth for tech companies with Cisco projecting that global mobile data traffic will increase 18-fold between 2011 and 2016. Cisco also expects that mobile data traffic will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 78% percent from 2011 to 2016. The opportunities are vast for companies operating in the mobile arena. Here are four stocks that have strong competitive positions and stand to benefit from the mobile trend:

Facebook (FB) has faced numbers issues after its IPO but the stock has bounced off lows and is now up 20% over the past month. The company is focused on mobile growth and knows that it will be the key to its growth. FB has been making changes to its mobile strategy recently as mobile growth has been somewhat of a disappointment for the stock so far. One of the

Gold prices have in general been sluggish this year, after a strong run in the second half of the last decade, as the economy has improved from very weak levels and in response, the "safe haven" trade has abated. However, Europe is just in the midst of its turmoil and the US economy is still not out of the woods yet. Just on Wednesday, the Fed minutes were released of the July 31-August 1 meeting with the Fed giving a gloomy outlook on the economy and suggesting that additional monetary stimulus may be necessary soon as the economic recovery has continued at a slow pace. The NY Times additionally noted that "with few signs of a substantial and sustainable strengthening evident this summer, the report will likely solidify investors' expectations that the bank will take new measures this fall." The market acted accordingly as gold immediately spiked $10